What's this? Based mainly on cleaning performance and ease of use. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points.
Approximate retail price:
$203.74
Summary:
This 17-pound bag-equipped canister is designed to operate quietly. It has suction control, manual pile-height adjustment, HEPA filteration, and a full-bag indicator. It has an easy on/off switch and a 21-foot, retractable cord.
As the name suggests, this 17-pound, bag-equipped canister is meant to appeal to consumers who want an especially quiet vacuum cleaner. It has suction control, which allows you to adjust the airflow in the hose when cleaning curtains and upholstery. It also has manual pile adjustment, so you can change the machine's height to match your carpet pile. This Electrolux has a full-bin indicator to let you know when to empty the dustbin, and HEPA filtration, which is designed to block fine particles and may benefit people with respiratory problems. It also has an easy-to-reach on/off switch, and while the 21-foot cord is short, it retracts automatically.
Features & Specs - Electrolux UltraSilencer EL6986A
Bag Denotes whether the model has a disposable bag. A growing number of vacuums, particularly upright models, use a container that can be emptied, eliminating the bag. To capture fine-dirt particles, however, these models must use a filter (such as a HEPA filter) that can need routine cleaning or replacement. Replacement filters tend to be significantly more expensive than bags. While vacuums with bags may also use filters, the bag acts as a prefilter that helps to keep the fine-dirt filter cleaner, thus extending its performance until cleaning or replacement. Another caveat: Emptying the dustbin and cleaning a filter can be messy, and handling it may expose you to dust and other allergens.
Bag
Yes
Brush on/off An on/off switch for the rotating brush lets you stop the brush from rotating when using tools or cleaning bare floors. This helps eliminate scattered dirt on bare floors and reduces the risk of injury if the vacuum tips over during use. It also reduces the risk of damaging a carpet or the finish of a bare floor if the vacuum sits in place at the low-height setting.
Brush on/off
NA
Easy on/off A switch that's located on the handle or where your foot can activate it is more convenient than one on the body of the vacuum.
Easy on/off
Yes
Manual-pile adjust Lets you adjust the height of the machine to a carpet's pile height to allow for easy movement and thorough cleaning. Adjustments are automatic on some models, but we prefer the manual control afforded by some models.
Manual-pile adjust
Yes
Weight (lbs.) Weight of the vacuum cleaner, to the nearest pound.
I had have All hardwood floors, two dogs,twocats and a 6 yr old. I vacuum A LOT. I always thought a vacuum needed to be a big, noisy beast. My vacuum died two days ago, thats crisis mode in my house. After much research I discovered canister vacs are actually recommended over uprights for hardwood floors and pet hair. So off I go to buy my very first canister vac. When i got this home and took it out of the box I laughed. This cute little thing is going to vacuum my whole house and not clog, bust or cry? Fat chance. After two days of no vacuum this thing had its work cut out for it. It handles beautifully! It followed me around the house gently like a puppy, picked up every bit of hair, even made under my couch cushions( yes i vacuum there) look brand new, in corners i usually need a tool to get to with my upright and under beds with ease. Buttons were easy to turn off and on with your feet, attachments are right on the handle and easy to pop on and off. Theres even a place to slide the hose so it stand up when you walk away and dont know what to do with it. The suction power on the attachments is deadly powerful. Im pretty sure I good fight off a burglar entering my house and when with this thing. Im impressed, no whether or not this little power house with withstand the test of time in my house of hair is a whole other story. Good luck and hope this helps in your decision making process.
How long have you owned it:
A month or less
Bottom Line
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.
By
DC2SD
from
San Diego, CA
(6 of 6 customers found this review helpful)
4.0
Great Quality & Quiet
7/3/2011
Pros
Great for pet hair
Powerful/Good Suction
Quiet
Superior quality
Cons
Difficult to replace bag
Poor Design
Poor design on hose
Best Uses
Hardwood Floors
Pet Hair
Tile Floors
Comment:
Very quiet and excellent suction. I've used Electrolux forever (this replaced my 1974 Electrolux). Great on floors & very acceptable on carpet. I have 2 german sheperds & it does a fantastic job on hair. Very frustrating hose/ability to have canister follow without struggle. Canister gets stuck constantly, and doesn't change direction/follow without some brute force.
How long have you owned it:
More than six months
Bottom Line
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.
By
B.C.
from
Amory, MS
(6 of 6 customers found this review helpful)
4.0
Convenient and Quiet
10/20/2010
Pros
Easy to Use
Efficient
Lightweight
Powerful/Good Suction
Cons
Best Uses
Hardwood Floors
Pet Hair
Tile Floors
Comment:
Very impressed with the suction and quietness of this vacuum. Very light and easy to manage. Plenty of cord.